17:35 Gowran Park

Thursday 26 September 2019

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0017:35

Woodford Dolmen Hotel Bar & Bistro Of The Year Winner Handicap (50-75)

Off time: 17:35 | Winning time: 2m 7.49s

(15)

Bigger And Better^t³^{(ex 6)}

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: C D Timmons⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 74| C

9/4

Course winner, quickly turned out again following a fourth career win at Fairyhouse on Monday over 7f. Life more difficult under a penalty but very much a leading player here.

Form: 00-9121

(13)

Encantador^t⁹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Robbie Colgan| T: S Lavery| OR: 70

20/1

20-race maiden. Started 2019 in good form but only disappointed of late and is now of only moderate appeal.

Form: 2-25005

(5)

Ustinov^h¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: Adrian O'Shea⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs A M O'Shea| OR: 70

66/1

Returned from long absence in July, only to produce a number of dismal efforts running between 5f and 1m. Well beaten on latest start at Listowel earlier this month and remains easy to oppose.

Form: 08/8000

(19)

Cloak Of Darkness¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Ronan Whelan| T: P Nolan| OR: 69

66/1

Modest 104-rated handicap hurdler the gelding is a three-race maiden on the Flat. Down the field at Cork on latest turf start and unlikely to be troubling the judge here.

Form: 34-8

(16)

Passing Trade^p,t¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Declan McDonogh| T: M Mulvany| OR: 69

8/1

Gutsy and genuine filly who is currently on a 18-race losing run but solid and consistent efforts still see her on a 4lb higher mark than her last win. Another bold bid expected.

Form: 225643

(11)

No Say Ever^h²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: T P Madden⁽³⁾| T: Miss A Mooney| OR: 73

7/1

Posted a career best effort in five starts when finishing fourth of 14 beaten ¾L over C&D earlier this month on yielding ground off a 1lb lower mark. Entitled to have designs on prize money in this contest.

Form: 84574

(4)

Merited^b1²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: C P Hoban| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 67

33/1

Sole win in 18 Flat starts on turf came in a Ballinrobe handicap in June. Has regressed alarmingly since. First time blinkers unlikely to bring about the required amount of improvement needed to play a role here.

Form: 176000

(3)

Toffee Galore^t¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Gary Carroll| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 70

16/1

Six-race maiden, beaten in a couple of starts on turf when in the hands of trainer Archie Watson. Raced keenly on promising stable debut earlier this month and shouldn't be underestimated.

Form: 324-764

(17)

Frosty Beach⁵²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Chris Hayes| T: D K Weld| OR: 69

16/1

Off the mark for connections at the seventh time of asking when landing a Naas 1m handicap off a 2lb lower mark. Beaten since but cannot be dismissed given the form of the yards three-year-olds.

Form: 6-66169

(20)

Fulvio³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 68

20/1

Lightly raced maiden of three starts. Well held on latest start at Roscommon last month. Possibly best watched on handicap debut unless market vibes suggest otherwise.

Form: 0-46

(7)

Castle Guest^t¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 9-1| J: L W Browne⁽¹⁰⁾| T: M Halford| OR: 61| CD

20/1

C&D winner, still running well in defeat recently over C&D and in a Navan 1m2f handicap earlier this month. Liable to find a couple stronger once again.

Form: 230053

(6)

Bajan Excell¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: C D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 63

33/1

Five-race maiden well beaten and never nearer in a couple of handicap starts at the Galway festival and more recently in a Listowel contest earlier this month. Looks vulnerable in this company.

Form: 89300

(1)

Crimson King¹¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Colin Keane| T: C O'Brien| OR: 63

8/1

Promising form of his juvenile days have diminished in a number of below-par displays this term. More needed with a couple of better handicapped sorts lurking.

Form: 63-6500

(14)

Pasley^t1¹⁵²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 63

6/4

Career best effort on third start at Limerick over 7f on soft ground when last seen in April. First-time tongue tie fitted on interesting return to action.

Form: 0-04

(12)

Bodak²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: S Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 61

10/1

Nothing of note in a number of career starts so far. Down the pack in a 1m½f maiden at the Galway festival last month before disappointing once again at Cork earlier this month.

Form: 7-80

(2)

Coolbawn Magic¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-13| J: N G McCullagh| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 59

25/1

First Reserve: Early season promise appears to have leveled out. Well held on latest start at Navan when beaten 22L finishing last of 16. Hard to place any faith in.

Form: 570350

Non-Runners

(10)

Sky Moon⁵⁴

Weight: 9-12| Age: 4

T: Peter Fahey J: O J Orr

(9)

Tartlette⁹³

Weight: 8-9| Age: 3

T: S Crawley J: K J Leonard

(18)

Tremwedge¹⁵⁰

Weight: 8-5| Age: 3

T: Miss Ellmarie Holden J: Reserve 2

(8)

Followme Followyou¹⁹

Weight: 8-4| Age: 3

T: J Davison J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Pasley (6/4), Bigger And Better (9/4), No Say Ever (7/1), Passing Trade (8/1), Crimson King (8/1), Followme Followyou (8/1), Bodak (10/1), Tartlette (12/1), Frosty Beach (16/1), Toffee Galore (16/1), Sky Moon (16/1), Encantador (20/1), Castle Guest (20/1), Fulvio (20/1), Tremwedge (20/1), Coolbawn Magic (25/1), Bajan Excell (33/1), Merited (33/1), Cloak Of Darkness (66/1), Ustinov (66/1)

Competitive end to the day where the Jessica Harrington-trained BODAK can step up to the plate on handicap debut. The daughter of Kodiac is well though of at home and can improve on a number of below-par maiden efforts so far. Pasley for the Joseph O'Brien yard looks open to plenty of improvement on return to action here while Bigger And Better, for trainer Tony Martin and recent Listowel third, Passing Trade can go well from a high draw. No Say Never and Frosty Beach should not be underestimated and are worthy of further consideration as post time approaches.